Interested in all things North East England arts and culture. Have also been known to wax lyrical about my beautiful neighbourhood,
#DH7
. Views my own.
So here’s a little glimpse of the view from my office window today.
@Beamish_Museum
is such a special place but it’s even more magical than ever when it snows. Although I am of course hoping it’s just aesthetically pleasing light snow showers and nothing too disruptive!
Well… who would have thought…?! Back in the office at
@Beamish_Museum
and we have snow once again. Not quite as dramatic as last week but still, the white stuff, and in March. Absolutely love the views from my office window - Beamish is such an extraordinary place to work at.
SO great to see us listed as number one in the
@thetimes
list of the best open air museums in the UK! A big shout out to our wonderful team of staff and volunteers who make the museum the brilliant experience that it is.
@Beamish_Museum
@VCDBusiness
It’s finished! Thanks
#DurhamSprayPaints
! Note the addition of the coal tub in the bottom left corner. Ushaw Moor colliery was sunk in 1865, and closed in 1960. Sadly, we knocked most of the colliery infrastructure down, but some still remains if you know where to look.
Up in Auden’s Weardale today: Rookhope - a sequestered village hiding among the hills, once noted for having one of the richest lead mines in England. Also pics of Bolt’s Law Incline engine house, built in 1846 by the Weardale Iron Company. Bitterly cold up there!
@NorthPennAONB
It’s all been going off at
@Beamish_Museum
today! Here’s our brilliant team in action, telling the story of the more militant branch of the suffrage campaign which involved targeting property & infrastructure. Check out the smoking postbox! (No letters were actually harmed!)
I’m in awe of the cloud formations on this fine summer evening! Starting to sound like a proverbial stuck record (sorry!) but we are wonderfully lucky to have such big skies around here; in no way have we a deficit on the drama front!
#DH7
#clouds
#lovewhereyoulive
Absolutely thrilled about this news, which is important not just for
@Beamish_Museum
but for the wider North East. So much work goes into the bidding process and it’s fantastic to achieve a successful result. This award will help to see us though the challenging months ahead.
Well the
#UKCityofCulture2025
bidding process has really been quite something. We didn’t “win”; but what we did do is maybe even more authentically County Durham/ NE: we cracked on, collaborated, listened, defined our extraordinary new future. Watch this space!
@Durham_2025
A suitably stunning location for my first meeting of the day!
@TheBowesMuseum
was purpose built to house the art collection of John Bowes and his wife Josephine, and opened in 1892. Fabulous fashion and textiles collection, and strengths around Spanish art, too.
@ThisisDurham
So my
@Beamish_Museum
snow post went viral a few days ago, and I’ve had the good fortune of acquiring some c. 300 followers (thank you!). As well as work stuff I like to share the everyday delights of my beautiful neighbourhood,
#DH7
- here it is, putting its best foot forward!
Another beautiful morning here at
@Beamish_Museum
! Here’s the Sun Inn looking particularly handsome in its red & black livery, flanked by a glorious magnolia just starting to flower. Do pop down to see us if you can - a perfect day for a stroll around the site & an ice cream x
It’s a great day when you can break up your bus journey home with a little time out to marvel at one of the world’s finest Norman cathedrals. Note the heron fishing in the foreground, to the right. An embarrassment of riches!
@ThisisDurham
@VCDBusiness
#lovewhereyoulive
A perfect day for a walk and a swim in the Durham Dales. I’ve been exploring footpaths on the Weardale/ Teesdale border, followed by a dip in the reservoir above Bollihope. Let’s just say it wasn’t warm! I did have the joy of having it all to myself, however.
@ThisisDurham
Blast Beach as otherworldly as ever - once one of the most polluted beaches in the North East. Today, it’s something of an unconventional beauty spot. There are visually striking pools water an intense blood red colour, polluted by colliery waste. Holmside brick find a bonus!
Silver for
@Beamish_Museum
- proud to be shortlisted and part of what makes this corner of the world such an extraordinary place to live, work, visit, and explore and enjoy!
@RhiannonhilesDD
and I doing some impromptu This is Your Life here, iconic Civic Centre…
@NGinitiative
Someone’s got themselves a handy raft, for fishing! If you keep watching, you’ll definitely spot him… Durham City looking extraordinarily beautiful in this fabulous late afternoon sunshine…
@ThisisDurham
@durhamcathedral
@DCathFriends
Now who doesn’t love that distinctive aroma of an old skool hardware store?! These guys are there when I need them for all sorts of random stuff. Always end up leaving with more than I came in for! & a branch in Lanchester, too. What’s not to love about
#DH7
?!
@soult
#shoplocal
It’s that time of year again! I love the big meeting; it’s at the heart of what makes County Durham distinctive. Party atmosphere in the city - and I spy a DH7 banner in the background here!
#Sacriston
#DH7
@DurhamMiners
Stunning sunset this evening in
#DH7
- I bet other folk have managed to capture it more effectively than I have here but hey ho! Perfect time to get out for an evening walk I think.
#sunset
#spring
Nippy out there and we still have a frosting of snow in here in Durham. So: the UK’s finest cathedral, as seen from Prebends, and then Framwellgate bridge. I love the tawny, buttery yellow colour the towers turn in the late afternoon sun at this time of year
@durhamcathedral
In St Oswald’s churchyard in Durham - an oasis of calm and haven for wildlife in the city. I’m completely in support of the policy of letting the grasses and flowers run riot! An ideal place to take in the distinctive sounds of this beautiful city
@durhamcathedral
@ThisisDurham
A lovely little collection of colliery bricks outside a house in Esh Winning. When it comes to all things heritage I’m always drawn to local links and connections... F&L - Ferens & Love - operated the colliery at Ushaw Moor
#DH7
#collierybricks
#heritage
Over the past year it’s been so wonderful to see murals inspired by industrial heritage pop up over North West Durham, and now we have our very own here in Ushaw Moor! Nice one
#DurhamSprayPaints
@ThisisDurham
#DH7
Lovely map of the Durham coalfield in my folks’ house. I was surprised by the inclusion of places north of the Tyne. Coal is nothing if not topical at the moment!
#durhamcoalfield
@RedhillsDurham
#heritage
Big day in Durham today as we submit our
@Durham_2025
bid to
#UKCityofCulture2025
We have a fantastic opportunity to really show what culture and creativity can do across a county geography, and make the impact felt across the wider region. Help us here:
We’re absolutely thrilled to have been awarded £585,000 from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
This will help our recovery and reopening following the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re hugely grateful for this support
#HereForCulture
@DCMS
@ace_national
NEWS🗞️We’re investing nearly £60 million in 70 projects to improve people’s access to culture and creativity, help grow local economies and safeguard collections for the future.
All thanks to
@DCMS
’ Cultural Investment Fund
A snowy meander (ok… well more like a 5 mph route march!) around my beautiful neighbourhood this afternoon. For me, the backstreets have always been as rich in visual interest as the surrounding Deerness Valley countryside.
#DH7
#lovewhereyoulive
Durham putting its very best picture postcard foot forward in this fabulous sunshine… enjoying a very quick spin around the riverbanks en route to my next meeting. Love this place!
@durhamcathedral
@ThisisDurham
@Durham_2025
Some winter sunshine just before the rain kicked in! A lovely walk along the Weardale Way from Page Bank in a westerly direction. Great spot for wildlife. Also found a Bolckows colliery brick - apparently the company was a driving force in the growth of Middlesbrough in C19th.
Morning! For a walking route to a meeting, this has got to be right up there. Durham riverbanks putting their very best foot forward on this fine day. Plus a little shot the brutalist gem that is Kingsgate Bridge.
@ThisisDurham
#prettycity
So many things that make me proud about Durham - city & county - but right up there for me is our history of social reform & collective action, embodied by
@RedhillsDurham
and the Miners’ Gala, now in its 137th year. Fantastic atmosphere in the city today. Plus some
#DH7
vibes!
‘Would look good wearing a bin bag’ is what my mother used to say to me, quite a few moons ago. I’m not sure whether that’s still the case now (!!), but it certainly applies to the looker that is Durham City!
#prettycity
@ThisisDurham
How nice to ditch the car and get the bus to my
@Durham_2025
meeting this afternoon. You always notice more on the bus and on foot! Here’s a view from the allotments at Briardene over to
@durhamcathedral
- so peaceful and tranquil in our beautiful little city today
@ThisisDurham
Nipping home to take some calls from
#DH7
after a really productive session in the office this morning, and couldn’t resist snapping this - one of my favourite views. Spring is coming; I can feel it! Bring it on x
#DH7
#lovewhereyoulive
#LangleyPark
View from the top of the fell north of Wolsingham. The sun has gone in but it’s no less spectacular! Auden was inspired by the desolate, post-industrial beauty of the Durham Dales and it’s easy to see why. “No other spot," he wrote, "brings me sweeter memories."
@ThisisDurham
Couldn’t resist I’m afraid… One of my favourite Ushaw Moor noir vistas. Looking extra specially atmospheric, somehow, at c. 7pm on the second day of spring.
#DH7
A big thanks to all of our loyal visitors for making us the most visited attraction in the region last year. We welcomed a phenomenal 773,814 of you!
@Beamish_Museum
Beamish was the most visited attraction in the North East last year, according to a report of
@alva_uk
members. We welcomed 773,814 visitors in 2022, up 30%, showed the figures released during
#EnglishTourismWeek23
Read more at -
This very obliging cow said hi and posed for a photo! I’m in the grounds of Croxdale Hall - some fabulous walking around here. The network of footpaths takes in beautiful native woodland, Capability Brown-style landscapes and listed buildings. Atmospheric today.
@ThisisDurham
En route to the
@culturedurham
meeting at Spennymoor and I’ve stopped at Croxdale for a restorative blast of fresh air on this glorious autumn day. The stretch of the River Wear upstream from Durham City is so often overlooked yet offers up such understated beauty
@ThisisDurham
A perfect day to take in the rugged, alien beauty of Blast Beach. The name derives from the first industry here - blast furnaces producing iron from Seaham coal, lime from nearby kilns & ironstone from Cleveland. Amongst my favourite places!
@DurhamCoast
@tynetotees
@ThisisDurham
So to
@durhamcathedral
to check out Tunnel of Light by
@mickfusion
, a collaboration with local school children. A thoughtful piece, it celebrates the tradition of storytelling through stained glass, & shows images of contemporary life in the county on disc-shaped miners’ tokens.
Morning! Don’t make ‘em like that any more… I always enjoy stumbling upon relics of our coalfield heritage, particularly when in their original context.
#fingerpostfriday
#morningwalk
@arlsbit
It’s been all go in
#DH7
today and our very own River Deerness has gone full torrent! I can’t wait to see what’s thrown up to explore, to enjoy and delight upon, once we’re out the other side. Never a dull moment round here. Thank goodness the roofers have been!
#lovewhereyoulive
A fabulous spin along the NE coast today, checking out art & places south of the Tyne. Public art seems to have fallen out of fashion over the past decade, but the Juan Munoz piece in South Shields, originally commissioned in the 1990s, has charismatically stood the test of time
Back at
@ushawdurham
for away day
#2
& the team have kindly given us a sneak peek of the stunning forthcoming exhibition of railway posters. Here’s perhaps the most iconic train view in the country, dear old Durham City, looking suitably dramatic. Kenneth Steel, 1950
@Durham_2025
Working from the office this afternoon. Town street looking magical in the sunshine; although we much prefer it when it’s packed with our lovely visitors immersing themselves in NE heritage! (Closed midweek up to half term in case you were wondering!)
@Beamish_Museum
@Durham_2025
So it’s Capricorn season and my birthday today & I’ve got some absolutely gorgeous cards! Thank you
@RhiannonhilesDD
@JagpalG
@jenniferdixon22
much appreciated. And super session interviewing prospective trustees for
@Beamish_Museum
- it can be fun going to work on your birthday!
Been up since 5am working on my Arts Council bid… so I thought it was high time I treated myself with a wild swim, now the thing is submitted! I love this county so much; such riches on our doorstep. It’s blustery and fabulous up here today in Weardale
@Durham_2025
@ThisisDurham
Perfect evening for a stroll up the hill to
@ushawdurham
in my Guess Who outfit! We’re blessed with big, expansive skies and dramatic views round here. Oh and Ushaw gardens looking tip top right now, too - recommend a visit
#DH7
@ThisisDurham
My lovely friend Emma has just launched
@CollectedDurham
- a mobile bookshop. Emma’s put such a thoughtful collection of books together. Her recommendation for me was Saltwater by Jessica Andrews, a Sunderland lass, no less! Do pop down and see emma in Durham
@NewWritingNorth
Lovely evening in
@StChadsDurham
gardens for a
@Durham_2025
thank you event. The star of the show was this delightful clapboard chapel! Particularly enjoyed the drift of lavender leading up to the door, & the pared down simplicity. Durham never fails to delight!
@RhiannonhilesDD
I’ve been taking in what was Whorlton Lido. Still can’t quite comprehend how I never made here, when it was in full swing. Basically, this was a popular lido/ recreation area on the River Tees with miniature railway, a children's corner, 9 hole putting green & refreshments kiosk
Washington Services footbridge - a 1970s vision of the future. Spanning five carriageways, this was the longest footbridge in the UK when it opened. The northbound side had an escalator taking people up into the "futuristic & robotic" southbound facilities. This is it today
#A1
Spotted: Newburn colliery bricks on my lunchtime walk in Beamish Burn Woods. Newburn has such a rich history and was transformed during the Industrial Revolution. The output of Spencer’s Steelworks was such that it led to the area being known colloquially as ‘New Sheffield’.
We’ve just launched our first ever public appeal to help us cover Covid losses, which are significant, particularly as a self reliant museum. It’s been a difficult time for everyone, but if you love
@Beamish_Museum
and are in a position to help we’d be hugely grateful! Thanks!
FINALLY made it down to indie bookshop
@CollectedDurham
today! Huge congratulations to Emma for creating such a warm & welcoming space, and of course on your exquisitely curated selection. So great to see Durham on the up - who wouldn’t enjoy this view; stock up on good reads?!
Wow - what a day out there! Not in the mood for cooking so headed over to the lovely folk at
#KororoDurham
for a Katsu curry. River Wear in full, dramatic flow. And looks like the
@lumieredurham
install has begun - I spy the Edmund Francis anglepoise (7X). Not long to go now!
A carpet of Butterbur in the Deerness Valley. The flower spikes always get going before the leaves and look tastefully architectural right now. It is however all about to go prehistoric when the 1m wide leaves make their annual appearance!
#DH7
#spring
#lovewhereyoulive
Big day for North East - £1.4bn over the next 30 years, & the formation of NE Mayoral Combined Authority. Will be interesting to see what opportunities this brings for culture, given the social, economic & quality of place and life benefits we deliver
@NECulture
@culturedurham
Today, we’ve agreed a historic £1.4bn devolution deal for the North East.
A new elected mayor will have more power to address local issues including:
✔️transport
✔️skills
✔️infrastructure
So in Newcastle for the
@TheForgeUK
board belated Christmas lunch & taking the opportunity to enjoy the art nouveau, red brick splendour of Milburn House. It was funded by the Milburn family, who made their money from coal & shipping, & cost £130k! Also had a cheeky peep inside.
County Hall, Durham is much maligned but I’ve always been rather fond of its 60s brutalist aesthetic. Here’s a few quirky details that are easy to miss - the mosaic mural, with the Dun Cow in tiles - & a Durham montage in sandstone at the rear of the building. An absolute treat!
A little blast of architectural delight from the Bailey in Durham City. I’m loving the simplicity and elegance that you see here… and particularly the jaunty quirk of number two. Just how exactly did that come about?! Ha - love this place so much
@ThisisDurham
@VCDBusiness
Browney Valley and Baxter Wood this morning - like most of DH7, a place of great but subtle, understated beauty. And a pony came over to say hi! A lovely day to be out and about
#DH7
#lovewhereyoulive
Glorious day, and in the office so my lunchtime walk had to be around
@Beamish_Museum
site. We’ve felled some trees near the entrance, opening up this wonderfully evocative vista which would have been a common sight right across the North East. Plus bonus
#DH7
colliery bricks!
From the lovely folk at
@StCuthsHospice
who are our brilliant Charity Partner for this year’s
@durhamfringe
… and also the Harrods of the North, in terms of their wonderful charity shop output! We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with them.
@CultureCounty
@culturedurham
View from Prebends Bridge in Durham City this afternoon. Note the leaves starting to turn. The eagle eyed might also spot the Prince Bishop River Cruiser starting to emerge round the bend. A perfect afternoon for a stroll around this pretty city
@ThisisDurham
Lunchtime walk… such a treat to have some much needed sunshine. And April showers too, so we’ve had rainbows over here in
#DH7
. Happy Easter!
#lunchtimewalk
#bankholiday
A misty morning in
#DH7
- a perfect context in which to explore and enjoy Ragpath Woods, to the south of the River Deerness, between Broadgate Farm and Esh Winning.
#lovewhereyoulive
#DH7
#morningwalk
One of the few upsides to inclement weather including light drizzle in the North East of England is that Durham city always looks beautifully atmospheric. As ever, (and I would say this!) always worth getting out to experience and enjoy.
@ThisisDurham
@VCDBusiness
@culturedurham
A rare afternoon off. Where better to spend it than the Pit House ridge, above New Brancepeth & along the south bank (yes - we have one, too!) of the Deerness Valley. Fabulous panoramic views from up here - 360 if you walk far enough. This is the best my iPhone could muster
#DH7
Oh well hello there Teesdale…Looking as dramatic as the weather conditions served up to us all today! Two County Durham dales in one week ain’t bad… In fact a perfect end to a fantastic week - loving life!
@ThisisDurham
@NorthPennAONB
@jillrcole
Tonight’s 70s film viewing is Executive Action starring Burt Lancaster. It’s got off to a lugubriously slow start but all is forgiven as I salivate over Burt’s rather snazzy Mercedes… set against what looks curiously like a US version of a
@GrimArtGroup
backdrop!
Yes we’re shrouded in mist here at
@Beamish_Museum
today, but it does make for an atmospheric, festive look now our Christmas decs are up! Open Wednesday to Sunday at the moment; do pop down and see us
@ThisisDurham
@culturedurham